He allowed two runs on an RBI double by Raul Ibanez and an RBI single by Carlos Ruiz and labored through a 35-pitch inning. During the first four innings he had thrown 46 pitches.
In the sixth, Jimenez failed to record an out and eventually allowed three runs.
"I was really disappointed that I couldn't get out of that inning," he said.
Overall, Jimenez surrendered nine hits and five runs, all earned, in the five-plus innings. He struck out four, walked one, and threw 92 pitches, 56 for strikes.
That was quite a departure from the pitcher who limited the Phillies to one run while earning a no-decision during Colorado's 2-1 win over the Phillies in the clinching Game 3 of the 2007 NLDS.
Jimenez insisted that the wind played no factor yesterday in his sudden turn for the worse on the mound.
"I really lost my fastball command," he said. "I think it was due to my mechanics because I started rushing."
Catcher Yorvit Torrealba concurred.
"His fastball got him in trouble because he was overthrowing it," Torrealba said. "He was throwing 99, but that little extra got him in trouble. If he stays at 97 and uses both sides of the plate, he will be better off."
It wasn't only his fastball. On Ibanez's RBI double, Jimenez hung a 3-1 change-up after throwing fastballs the previous four pitches.
"I didn't throw a good pitch," Jimenez said. "I thought he would be looking for a fastball in that situation."
The 25-year-old Jimenez went 15-12 with a 3.47 ERA this season.
"You have to remember that this is only his second full season," Torrealba said. "He is still learning."
Jimenez realized early that with the way Lee was pitching, his margin of error would be slight.
"He was unbelievable," Jimenez said of Lee. "We couldn't do anything with him."
Most of all, Jimenez would like nothing better than to get another chance at the Phillies, although in a best-of-five series, that is far from being assured.
"I'm disappointed because I wanted to give my team a chance to win," Jimenez said. "Now all I can do is get ready and hope that I get to pitch again."
Contact staff writer Marc Narducci at 856-779-3225 or mnarducci@phillynews.com.
